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Press release: Innovative moveable weirs now in place

The first phase of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme has reached a major milestone as all three moveable weir gates have now been successfully put in place at Knostrop Weir on the River Aire.

Costing in the region of £50million, the scheme is being led by Leeds City Council in partnership with the Environment Agency.

The final stages of the work at Knostrop include the removal of the remaining cofferdam ahead of it becoming a fully operational flood defence later in May.

The three gates have been constructed as part of an innovative approach using moveable weirs, which can be lowered in flood conditions to reduce river levels and the threat of flooding. This is the first time that moveable weirs are being used in the UK for a flood defence.

The weirs can be lowered, and raised, by deflating and inflating ‘bladders’ fabricated from a bullet proof neoprene material under each gate, which act like giant air filled pillows.

The first of the weir gates at Knostrop Weir has already been tested. Later this month the cofferdam structure, which was installed to allow a dry working area in the river for the construction of the weir gate, will be flooded with water and the sheet piles then removed.

New fish and eel passes are also being constructed at Knostrop. The structures consist of a number of shallow trays which the fish and eels can swim and jump up, allowing them to migrate upstream. The previous stone weir was approximately three metres high and a barrier to fish and eels moving up the River Aire.

Moveable weirs are also being constructed further upstream at Crown Point in the city centre, where the installation of the first of two weir gates has been completed. Last month, reinforced concrete works were finished which meant the bladders and gates could be fixed in place prior to testing.

Now this gate has been installed and tested, the cofferdam has been flooded and the sheet piles are being removed to allow for work to begin on the final weir gate adjacent to Fearns’ Island.

The Leader of Leeds City Council, Cllr Judith Blake, recently visited both sites to see first hand how the weirs will be reducing the risk of flooding to the city.

Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake said:

It was fascinating to see the new flood scheme up close and especially to see the amazing technology and engineering involved in putting these moveable weirs in place to control the flow of the River Aire.

It is such a simple idea but it is fantastic to see Leeds at the cutting-edge of the field using the latest technology in this way.

The value of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme in terms of the reassurance it will offer residents and businesses over the coming years and decades is incalculable, so we very much look forward to seeing phase one complete later this year while we continue to make the strongest possible case for further significant measures to help protect all our communities threatened by flood-risk across the city as soon as possible.

Work on flood defence walls in the Holbeck area are also still underway. Temporary traffic management remains in place and will do so until September 2017. The traffic management has been coordinated with the Bridgewater Place wind baffle scheme in an effort to minimise disruption.

The site works for Phase 1 of the Leeds Flood Alleviation scheme commenced in January 2015 and are due to be completed this summer. It is one of the largest river flood defences in the country. When complete, it will provide an increased level of protection from flooding from the River Aire and Hol Beck for residents and businesses in the city centre. The scheme also includes defences at Woodlesford.

Further information on Phase 1 of the scheme can be found at www.leeds.gov.uk/fas.

Work on phase 2 of the project is currently underway to develop a proposal for how to increase the standard of protection in Leeds including areas such as Kirkstall and Stourton.

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News story: CMA appoints Senior Director for Case Decision Groups

In this role Philip will have overall responsibility for the operation of CDGs, which are the decision-makers, independent of the investigation team, on Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) cases under the Competition Act 1998.

He will be responsible for overseeing their approach to ensure it is rigorous, fair, consistent and efficient, and applying any lessons learned from previous cases. He will participate in, and sometimes chair, individual Case Decision Groups, and will also contribute to discussions about the CMA’s approach to enforcement as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

To underpin separation of decision making, his role is operationally distinct from the CMA’s enforcement directorate.

Philip sat on, and chaired, Case Decision Groups in his capacity as a CMA Inquiry Chair prior to his term on the CMA panel expiring on 31 March 2017. He draws on his extensive experience as a competition law practitioner and academic as well as his work as a CMA panel member and Inquiry Chair.

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Press release: FOREIGN FLAGGED SHIPS UNDER DETENTION IN THE UK DURING MARCH 2017

During March, there were four new detention of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port. Four vessels remained under detention from previous months. A total of four vessels remain under detention at the end of March.

  1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

  2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.

  3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.

  4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure if at all possible.

  5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on Mandatory Surveys for the safe operation of regular Ro-Ro ferry and high speed passenger craft services (1999/35/EU).

Notes on the list of detentions

  • Full details of the ship. The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
  • Company. The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
  • Classification Society. The list shows the Classification Society responsible for classing the ship only.
  • Recognised Organisation. Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the Flag State
  • White (WL), Grey (GL) and Black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag State.

SHIPS DETAINED IN MARCH 2017

Vessel Name: JAG POOGA

GT: 28823

IMO: 9310692

Flag: India (Grey list)

Company: The Great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd

Classification Society: IRS, NKK

Recognised Organisation: IRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: IRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: IRS

Date and Place of Detention: 22nd March 2017 at Milford Haven

Summary: Twenty three deficiencies with four ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Missing Yes
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Missing No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire-resisting divisions Malfunctioning No
01314 – SOPEP Not updated No
01113 – Minimum Safe Manning Document Not properly filled No
01133 – Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage Cert. Missing No
18103 – Medical fitness Not as required No
18315 – Provisions quality and nutritional value Rotten No
18319 – Food segregation Not adequate No
18313 – Cleanliness Dirty No
18320 – Record of inspection (food and catering) Not as required No
18302 – Sanitary Facilities Damaged No
11102 – Lifeboat inventory Not as required No
11129 – Operational readiness of lifesaving appliances Not as required No
07113 – Fire pumps and its pipes Not as required No
13103 – Gauges,thermometers, etc Not properly maintained No
07109 – Fixed fire extinguishing installation Not as required No
07111 – Personal equipment for fire safety Not as required No
04109 – Fire drills Lack of control Yes
04110 – Abandon ship drills Lack of training Yes
07109 – Fixed fire extinguishing installation Not as required No
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes
07111 – Personal equipment for fire safety Not properly maintained No

This vessel was released on 25th March 2017

Vessel Name: PRT KAHO

GT: 40937

IMO: 9701152

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: First Marine Services Ltd

Classification Society: NKK

Recognised Organisation: NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: NKK

Date and Place of Detention: 12th March 2017 at Port Talbot

Summary: Three deficiencies with three ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
04114 – Emergency source of power – Emergency generator Inoperative Yes
10105 – Magnetic compass Not as required Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 13th March 2017

Vessel Name: BURHOY I

GT: 674

IMO: 7726897

Flag: Belize (Black list)

Company: Great Glen Shipping Co Ltd

Classification Society: INSB

Recognised Organisation: INSB

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: INSB

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: INSB

Date and Place of Detention: 7th March 2017 at Liverpool

Summary: Eighteen deficiencies with seven ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01102 – Cargo Ship Safety Construction (including exempt.) Survey out of window Yes
01101 – Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (including exemption Survey out of window Yes
01104 – Cargo Ship Safety Radio (including exemption) Survey out of window Yes
01108 – Load Lines (including Exemption) Survey out of window Yes
03112 – Scuppers, inlets and discharges Corroded Yes
03104 – Cargo & other hatchways Damaged No
07113 – Fire pumps and its pipes Insufficient pressure No
18420 – Cleanliness of engine room Not as required No
14604 – Bunker delivery notes Missing No
18413 – Warning notices Missing No
02108 – Electrical installations in general Unsafe No
18302 – Sanitary Facilities Not properly maintained No
01124 – International Air Pollution Cert. Survey out of window Yes
03107 – Doors Not properly maintained No
11117 – Lifebuoys incl. provision and disposition Not as required No
10133 – Bridge operation Lack of training No
01313 – Booklet for bulk cargo loading/unloading/stowage Missing No
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 10th March 2017

Vessel Name: RMS Laars

GT: 1570

IMO: 8508400

Flag: Antigua & Barbuda (White list)

Company: Rhenus Maritime Services GmbH

Classification Society: DNVGL

Recognised Organisation: DNVGL

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: GL

Date and Place of Detention: 2nd March 2017 at Hartlepool

Summary: Ten deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
10105 – Magnetic compass Not readable No
10109 – Lights, shapes, sound-signals Inoperable No
07115 – Fire-dampers Not as required No
11108 – Inflatable liferafts Expired No
18407 – Lighting (Working spaces) Inoperative No
03107 – Doors Not properly maintained No
18421 – Guards – fencing around dangerous machinery parts Missing equipment No
02111 – Beams, frames, floors-corrosion Corroded No
11113 – Launching arrangements for rescue boats Not as required No
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 4th March 2017

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: MALAVIYA SEVEN

GT: 3001

IMO: 9087312

Flag: India (Grey List)

Company: GOL Offshore Ltd

Classification Society: IRS

Recognised Organisation: IRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: IRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: IRS

Date and Place of Detention: 5th October 2016 at Aberdeen

Summary: Five deficiencies with five grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire resisting divisions Not as required Ye
07113 – Fire pumps and its pipes Not as required Yes
18203 – Wages Missing Yes
01220 – Seafarers employment agreement (SEA) Invalid Yes
18204 – Calculation and payment of wages No records Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2017

Vessel Name: SEA TRIDENT

GT: 964.

IMO No: 7393169.

Flag: PANAMA (white list)

Company:

Classification Society: Expired

Recognised Organisation: Expired

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC:

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC:

Date and Place of Detention: 17 June 2016, West Cowes

Summary: Seventeen deficiencies with seventeen grounds for detentions

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01101 – Cargo ship safety equipment cert Expired Yes
01102 – Cargo Ship safety construction cert Expired Yes
01104 – Cargo ship safety radio cert Expired Yes
01108 – Loadline cert Expired Yes
01117 – IOPP (International Oil Pollution Prevention cert Expired Yes
01119 – International Sewage Pollution Prevention cert Expired Yes
01124 – International Air Pollution Prevention cert Expired Yes
01137 – Civil liability for bunker oil pollution damage cert Expired Yes
01199 – Other certs (Certificate of class) Expired Yes
01201 – Certificates for master and officers Missing Yes
10111 – Charts Not updated Yes
10116 – Publications Nautical Not updated Yes
11108 – Inflatable liferafts Expired Yes
11116 – Distress flares Missing Yes
07109 – Fixed fire fighting extinguishing installation Not as required Yes
07110 – Fire fighting equipment & appliances Not as required Yes
01140 – Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Missing Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2017

Vessel Name: SOUTHERN STAR

GT: 4450.

IMO No: 9212448.

Flag: COOK ISLANDS (black list)

Company: Coralot Consulting Ltd.

Classification Society: International Naval Surveys Bureau (INSB).

Recognised Organisation: INSB.

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC: INSB.

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: INSB

Date and Place of Detention: 4th April 2016, Chatham, Orpington.

Summary: Six deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01201 – Certificates for masters and officers Invalid Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes
13101 – Propulsion main engine Not as required No
01123 – Continuous synopsis record Missing No
01113 – Minimum safe manning document Not as required No
14119 – Oil and oily mixtures from machinery spaces Lack of familiarity No

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2017.

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification Society: Unclassed.

Recognised Organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and Place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2017

Notes to Editors

• The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector at www.seavision.org.uk

• Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: +44 (0) 2380 329 401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.

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Press release: UK-wide Industrial Strategy engagement tour continued in Yorkshire

  • Business Secretary Greg Clark and Ministers hosted 100 business leaders at an Industrial Strategy evening reception in Leeds.
  • Lord Prior of Brampton opened a new Metals Discovery Centre in Rotherham, Margot James chaired an Industrial Strategy roundtable with the IoD in Harrogate and Nick Hurd visited BASF, the largest chemical producer in the world, in Bradford.

The government’s regional engagement programme for its Industrial Strategy continued last week (30 March) in Yorkshire, where business ministers met companies and workers from across the area to encourage them to contribute to the consultation, which closes in just over 2 weeks.

The day culminated in an evening reception, hosted by Business Secretary Greg Clark and ministers, at KPMG in Leeds with over 100 businesses from a range of sectors in attendance. The reception gave ministers an opportunity to hear the views of Yorkshire’s business community on how best to get the region’s economy growing.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:

A modern British Industrial Strategy must build on our strengths as a country and extend excellence into the future, closing the gap between the UK’s most productive companies, industries, places and people.

Through our modern Industrial Strategy and Northern Powerhouse investment we are going to build on Yorkshire’s unique strengths in industries such as offshore wind and specialist engineering, to make the region one of the most competitive areas in the UK to start and grow a business.

We launched our strategy as a green paper because we want this to be a conversation with businesses and employees. My ministerial team and I have visited sites all over Yorkshire to encourage businesses and workers alike to contribute and refine our vision.

Lord Prior of Brampton visited Rotherham’s Advanced Manufacturing Park to open the Metals Discovery Centre, following a £10 million investment by metal and alloys company Metalysis. The company is launching its Materials Discovery Centre at the Park to expand its research and development capabilities, and once complete Metalysis hope to employ 100 people across its South Yorkshire sites.

Small Business and Consumer Minister Margot James was in Harrogate hosting an Industrial Strategy meeting with the Institute of Directors (IoD), discussing how the strategy can drive growth in the local economy. The minister then toured the Otley-based and family-run textiles company Marton Mills which has been producing a range of fabrics in the region since 1931.

In Bradford, Industry Minister Nick Hurd visited BASF, the largest chemical producer in the world, to learn about the company’s international chemical operations and the local plans for the site. After this the minister hosted a meeting on Industrial Strategy with the manufacturing group EEF at the hydraulics company Oilgear UK in Leeds before meeting with the Leeds Local Enterprise Partnership.

The regional engagement follows the launch of the government’s green paper, ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’, in January which outlined 10 pillars of focus to be discussed as part of a 12 week consultation period. The pillars cover a broad range of themes including skills, infrastructure, affordable energy and clean growth.

The strategy proposes plans for driving growth across the country, with a framework to build on local strengths and reduce regional disparities in opportunities and prosperity.

With a clear ambition of creating an economy that works for everyone, the green paper contains a number of proposed announcements set to benefit Yorkshire and the Humber such as:

  • capitalising on our strengths in the modern energy market, like offshore wind, so businesses such as Siemens in Hull can win a substantial share of the global market
  • building on the work of Transport for the North bringing together planning across the region to develop plans for a west-east rail link
  • investing in skills so there are enough engineers in the region to support the thriving offshore industry

The government has issued an open invitation to industries, businesses and local groups in Yorkshire to visit the Industrial Strategy consultation and help set the priorities for a modern Industrial Strategy.

The consultation period has just over 2 weeks remaining, closing on April 17, after which the government will consider responses before publishing a white paper later in the year.

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Press release: New measures to unlock brownfield land for thousands of homes

Councils will have new tools to speed up development of derelict and underused land for new homes, Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell confirmed today (3 April 2017).

Local authorities across the country will now have to produce and maintain up-to-date, publicly available registers of brownfield sites available for housing locally.

The new registers will help housebuilders identify suitable brownfield sites quickly, promising to unlock land for thousands of new homes.

Communities will be able to highlight local derelict or underused building sites that are primed for redevelopment. This can bring investment to the area and increase the number of new homes in the area.

As set out in the recently published Housing White Paper, the registers are part of the government’s ambitious programme to speed up house building, promote brownfield sites for development and release land to deliver many more new homes.

Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell said:

We need to build more homes in this country so making sure that we re-use brownfield land is crucial. We want to bring life back to abandoned sites, create thousands more homes and help protect our valued countryside.

These new registers will give local authorities and developers the tools to do this.

Brownfield registers were first piloted in 2016, when 73 local planning authorities across the country pioneered the measures.

In addition, the £3 billion Home Builders Fund will be used to support the development of brownfield sites, with an additional £1.2 billion provided to unlock at least 30,000 Starter Homes on brownfield land.

Permission in principle

The government has also introduced a new way of obtaining planning permission through these new registers. It will make it easier for developers to deliver housing in the places where people want to live.

‘Permission in principle’ will simplify the planning process for developers. It will give them more certainty over whether a site is suitable for development ahead of working up costly proposals to obtain full planning permission. This will encourage new development and increase the amount of land available to build on, helping to boost housing supply.

Further legislation will follow this year to roll-out ‘permission in principle’ more widely through the planning system.

Further information

The government’s response to the technical consultation on the implementation of the Housing and Planning Act, chapters 2 and 3 on permission in principle and brownfield registers, has been published today.

The regulations implementing brownfield registers and permission in principle through brownfield registers have been laid in Parliament as part of secondary legislation relating to the Housing and Planning Act. They will come into force 21 days after being laid.

Statutory guidance for local authorities will follow to explain the role of brownfield registers and permission in principle in more detail.

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